Third Prince Cain Vailtair Thaloria is a most dangerous man, cunning and fickle in his own way. And that technology of his… is a double edged sword with no safe handle. The blueprints he provided me a few months ago are useful, I don't deny it, but he must have modified them without my knowledge, turned modern mundane objects into listening devices and video recording devices that transmit everything I say back to him in real time. Lady Lorelei Chamberlain grits her teeth thinking of the implications on the meddlesome involvement of Third Prince Cain on the politics of the Aethalgard City-State. She knows Cain armed House Chamberlain… the lazy, elegant and efficient way, but Cain will take it away just as easily & lazily… with interest if she steps out of the line. Cain will not come barging in person to dispose of me, no. He will use the Frostmark Black Forces again, the same way he eliminated House Jeffries. & this time, there’ll be no survivors to tell the tale. Not even me. It w

In Lumina City, at the manse of House Fleming, an elegant and extravagant masquerade ball is going on. House Fleming likes to strut their wealth, for half of the Maritime Compact to see. They are a House newly made rich and newly made prominent, similar to House Chamberlain… but all this needless preening is wasteful. My cousin Lorelei is right to spend most of House Chamberlain’s newfound wealth on the skilled but needy baseborn churls amongst the often overlooked side alleys of Aethelgard, Meridian & Lumina, and bastards not even born to wealth, since they are a vital, often untapped human resource that can be taught useful trades, crafts, & the ways of business. When they grow up, these baseborn churls and poor bastards will remember the kind generosity of House Chamberlain, & ask to be employees of that house, in whatever positions or business they crave to serve. That’s a smart socialist capitalist move, and the money spent will flow back into the coffers of House Chamberlain in

Sir Ellis Durchville, the third brother of Lord Frederick Durchville, sits at a shaded pavilion, joined by a certain young female merchant guild trader who broke free from the chains of slavery named Harmony Martin who traded coffee, tea, spices and meats across the slaver cities dotted all over the Bay of Shackles, and beyond, to the free cities of the East. “ Ah, the upjumped merchant comes again to grace me with her views regarding slavery, economics and markets. “Ellis says, his tone sharp and mocking, whilst gracefully motioning for Harmony to sit down, have a coffee and have some sandwiches. “ And the slaver comes to prattle at me again on why slavery is a necessary evil. Will it surprise you to know that I was once a slave, who bought my way to freedom with coins, skill and wit? “Harmony replies smoothly, fills a mug with coffee, and reaches for an egg & tuna sandwich. Her eyes flicker to the book Ellis reads, entitled “ Business Secrets 101: Making Profits With Less Effort

“ Captain Karine, will you land the spaceship on Planet Stellara, and let us make contact with the natives? The data indicates that the atmosphere is breathable, with bodies of water similar to our own home planet. And it seems the natives there are also humans, although we’ll need to use the language translation device to get through the language barrier.“Aboard the spaceship SS Alaric, which is currently orbiting Planet Stellara, a planet within the same galaxy as planet Rivenfall, Sergeant Adolphe Granet asks the spaceship captain, Captain Karine Chapuis, if the spaceship will enter Planet Stellara, and make contact with the natives living in that planet. “ Make contact with those… medieval natives, Sergeant Adolphe? Nay, we don't. “Captain Karine, the female captain of the SS Leonora, laughs, but not unkindly. “ What do you mean to do, then, Captain Karine? ““ Third Prince Cain Vailtair Thaloria’s instructions to us are crystal clear. We are to start mining metal ores of plan

Inside the Intergalactic Court, in the distant planet of Elandros, located in the far-off Ilytheran Maw Galaxy, a group of judges that made up the Intergalactic Tribunal convenes to discuss Third Prince Cain’s wanton strip-mining of planets in Alpha Theta Galaxy, where Rivenfall Planet is located in. “ That insolent princeling has to be stopped, my lords and ladies. If he strip-mines entire planets & moons in his own galaxy dry, and causes the civilizations there to crumble into chaotic wars as a result, we know what will happen next. He will set his eyes upon a neighbouring galaxy, strip mine their resources dry, perhaps do something worse if he's not stopped, like annexing a galaxy or two, not with warfare, but treachery and lavish bribes. “Judge Gregory Valentine, of House Valentine, a prominent House in Elandros Planet, says to the other judges seated beside him in an emergency meeting. “ Aye, Judge Gregory. We do have to stop Third Prince Vailtair Thaloria, and pull the weed